Matt Painter signs nationally ranked 2013 recruiting class

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Head coach Matt Painter and the Purdue men’s basketball staff wrapped up one of the nation’s top recruiting classes on Wednesday, as a highly-regarded trio signed National Letters of Intent to begin competing for the Boilermakers in the 2013-14 season.

Bryson Scott, Basil Smotherman and Kendall Stephens comprise a class that is ranked as the 23rd-best in the nation by both Rivals.com and Scout.com.

“With the class before this one having three bigs, we needed to add some depth in our backcourt,” Painter said. “With the signings of Bryson Scott, Basil Smotherman and Kendall Stephens, I think we’ve been able to land three very good players. They’ll not only help us improve our guard play, but they’ll give us more options in the backcourt.

“We’re excited about all three guys. They all bring something a little bit different, and they’re really going to help us solidify our backcourt.”

Each of the Boilermakers’ signees has strong ties to the state of Indiana, as Scott and Smotherman are in-state products and Stephens is the son of Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame member and former Boilermaker basketball standout Everette Stephens.

Purdue’s 2012 Signing Class

Bryson Scott – G // 6-1 // 180 // Ft. Wayne, Ind. // Northrop

Basil Smotherman – F // 6-6 // 205 // Indianapolis, Ind. // Lawrence North

Kendall Stephens – G // 6-5 // 165 // St. Charles, Ill. // St. Charles East

Bryson Scott

Scott averaged 25.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game as a junior at Ft. Wayne Northrop to lead the school to a sectional title. An aggressive guard on both ends of the floor, he was the lone junior on either of the top two AP Indiana all-state teams a year ago.

“Bryson Scott is a player who’s very good with the basketball,” Painter said. “He’s physical strong, and he’s really worked on his perimeter game in terms of becoming a consistent three-point shooter and having an effective pull-up. He’s always been a guy who can get to the basket and finish or get to the free throw line, and he really brings tenacity at both ends of the floor.”

Smotherman averaged 9.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last season as a junior at Lawrence North. The athletic wing’s play earned him honorable mention AP all-state accolades and an All-Marion County nod.

“Basil Smotherman is a very good athlete who can play both forward spots,” Painter said. “He’s a guy who is really impressive from a physical standpoint. He’s got a big frame, and he’s long and athletic. He’s continuing to improve his skill set and energy level. I think he could be a high-energy guy who runs the floor, crashes the glass and really defends the wing position.”

Stephens averaged better than 24 points per game as a junior at St. Charles East after logging 17.1 points per contest as a sophomore. A deadly shooter with a quick release, he was a third-team ESPNHS all-state honoree in 2012.

“Kendall Stephens has really made some strides physically, and in his overall game, over the past year,” Painter said. “He’s a very good shooter who can catch and shoot out to about 23 or 24 feet. He’s really improved in putting the ball and floor and going to his pull-up. His game will continue to improve as he improves physically, and that physical maturity will be a tell-tale for him.”